ALBUQUERQUE — Officials say nearly half of registered voters in New Mexico’s most populous county have already cast ballots in the 2012 election.

Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver told KOB-TV that more than 183,000 voters have taken advantage of early voting.

Toulouse Oliver says absentee ballots have been cut in half since the last presidential election, but said it was because people prefer the convenience of early voting in person.

She says the county expanded hours and expanded the days for early voting.

According to the clerk’s office 149,904 total ballots had been cast during the early voting period, of which 74,889 were registered Democrats, 50,722 were registered Republicans and 23,616 identified as other.

The clerk’s offices sent 41,301 absentee ballots, 32,715 have been returned.